Prison Time
by Black666Hunter
Summary: My entry for the FB Presidian Reunion Group Christmas Challenge. Aloysius gets in over his head, Rufus isn't sure what to do next and Scarecrow gets dragged into yet another crazy mess. Can everyone get their Christmas wishes this year? WARNING - contains Minor Slash and Adult Themes. Don't like, don't read!
1. Chapter 1

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Capture

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Running full sprint down the crowded city streets, Aloysius Knight, the infamous Black Knight, knew he wasn't going to escape this situation with his hide intact. It had seemed like such a simple job, swoop in and grab a corrupt police official from his home and escort him back to Mexico City to face charges. He should have realised that no job was ever that simple. He'd come up against IG88, and they'd pulled a really dirty trick on him. They'd gone and murdered the family of the official Knight had to arrest and then planted evidence that he'd committed the 12 murders.

So here he was, running like hell in an attempt to outrun the long arm of the law. He was fairly sure that if he was caught, he'd never get a fair trial and wouldn't likely see the light of day for many, many years to come. Glancing back over his shoulder to check for pursuers, he tapped his radio, hoping that Rufus hadn't gone too far. His only chance was the Raven, anything less and he was going to prison.

'Rufus, where are you? I need a fast evac.'

"I've got trouble of my own Boss. Apparently the Mexicans don't like me using the local airfield." Rufus replied, the sounds of a gunfight in the background.

'Shit.' Knight hissed, spotting the police coming into the street ahead of his position. 'Get to the Raven and get out of here. Larkham and his boys pulled a fast one; they murdered the family of the official we were supposed to grab and pinned the bloodbath on my head.'

"Where are you? I can be over the city in five minutes." Rufus asked, the gunfire fading out.

'In five minutes, the police are going to have me cornered. Get out of Mexico and hole up somewhere until the dust settles. I'll be okay.' Knight instructed, ducking down a narrow alley and hoping he didn't run out of luck. 'Reach out to Shane; he'll be able to help you.'

Ducking as gunfire erupted behind him, Aloysius knew he couldn't keep running forever but he had to make sure Rufus got away safely. He could hear his friend in his earpiece, muttering about the pre-flight and preparing for launch.

'Rufus, you have to get out of here. I'm only making this hard for the local police so you've got time to clear out. Now go, I'll be fine.' he ordered, knowing that Rufus wouldn't handle prison life well. It'd be too close to the torment of the Army for him.

"I can't just abandon you, Boss. You're my best friend." Rufus replied, sounding so vulnerable and scared right now. "There has to be a way."

'Not this time, buddy. We both knew this day would come, no Bounty Hunter can be lucky all the time. We had a good run, been years since anyone came close to catching me out like this.' Aloysius sighed, back-pedalling fast when another group of local law enforcement came towards him.

"I'll come back for you, as soon as it's safer." Rufus promised, a crackle on the line indicating the switch from collar mic to his flight helmet. "I swear, I won't let them keep you for long."

'I believe you buddy. I'll be okay, I'm a survivor.' Aloysius nodded, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded. 'Get in touch with Scarecrow, he'll have some ideas.'

"I will. Take care Boss, I will find you." Rufus replied, regret colouring his voice. "Whatever happens, I will get you out of this mess."

'I know you will. You've never let me down before. I'll write if I can, I promise.' Aloysius uttered, racing into a plaza and skidding to a stop. 'Be safe buddy, I'll be waiting for you.'

Raising his hands, Aloysius sunk to his knees as dozens of local officers crowded around him, pistols pointed at his head as two of them wrestled him to the ground and cuffed him firmly. Rolling slightly, Aloysius looked up at the sky and smiled faintly as the familiar shape of the Black Raven raced over the city and disappeared from view. At least Rufus was safe, Aloysius could handle anything but he had to know Rufus was safe before he could really focus on his own survival. Dragged to his feet, he was stripped of his extensive hunt kit but at least these officials let him keep his glasses. Everything else was bagged up in big, strong paper bags as evidence. Knowing IG88 as he did, Aloysius was damn sure that every weapon he had would match the wounds on the bodies of the murdered family. That was just the underhanded tactic Larkham would use against him.

Listening to the rapid fire conversation all around him, Aloysius picked out a few words he knew but his Mexican was rusty, he didn't have a chance of following the discussion. All he could do was stand there, completely surrounded and hope that they didn't decide to just execute him on the spot. His luck held, he was grabbed and thrown into one of the police cars around the plaza. Peering out the window, he saw the last of his gear being loaded into another car. Now, all he could do was focus on survival and wait for Rufus to come swooping in for a rescue.

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Back on American soil and hopefully safer, Rufus shut down the Raven and climbed down, reaching up to rest one hand on the warm armour that was usually enough to keep them out of trouble. But this time, strong armour and superior firepower was useless, it had boiled down to one man on the ground and their luck had run out. Sinking down to sit under the pinging armour of his fighter, Rufus hung his head as he thought about where to turn next. It was supposed to be one last easy job before they took some time off for a well earned break so they didn't have any big contingency plans in place if things went wrong.

Thinking about his options, Rufus pulled out his phone and flashed out a quick text to Mother, enquiring if she was available for a mission of a darker nature. Her reply came back a few minutes later, they were on stand down for a couple of weeks and so could help with his unidentified mission. Giving her a location, Rufus promised to explain everything once she got the team gathered at the warehouse converted to a hanger for the Raven and a rough home for them. Mother got back to him with a guarantee to have the team assembled, ready for action and at his location in 5 hours. Rufus would have liked them to be there sooner but he'd make it work.

Uncurling from his spot under the Raven, Rufus headed for the basic apartment on a mezzanine structure at the south end of the warehouse. Up the ladder and across the steel walkway, he disappeared into the simple accommodations, trying desperately not to think about the empty gap by his side where Aloysius usually stayed. It felt so strange to be alone and completely out of contact. During any other separation, there was always a faint buzz on their radio link, a reminder that the other was there. Now the earpiece Rufus wore was completely silent, the reassuring buzz killed when the police confiscated Aloysius' radio. But Rufus swore he would keep wearing his earpiece, just in case someone reactivated the link. It was a long shot but he had to hope.

Setting his helmet on the shelf by the door and returning his G-36 and Beretta to the weapons racks, Rufus ran down the zip of his flight suit and peeled the sweaty cloth down, tying the sleeves around his waist as he headed for the kitchen. Forcing his eyes away from the few photos on the fridge, he grabbed a beer and headed for the couch, body on autopilot. He was going through his usual post battle wind down, half expecting to hear the shower start any second.

'Knock it off you fool, he's not here.' Rufus growled, shaking his head to clear away the thoughts of Aloysius winding down after another job. 'You left him behind, under orders but you still abandoned him.'

Emotions spiralling out of control, Rufus chugged down half his beer and tried to switch off but their final conversation kept playing through his mind. Aloysius was counting on him for a rescue but Rufus didn't know how to get the job done. He didn't even know where Aloysius was, much less how to get him out without both of them getting hurt or worse. Screaming in frustration, Rufus let fly with the bottle in his hand, watching it smash against the wall of his self-imposed prison. He couldn't do this without Aloysius, they were a team and Aloysius had always been the brains of the operation. He knew what tactics would work and what would fail. Rufus didn't have that sort of a background, he knew how to fly and fly well but when it came to ground operations, he didn't know how to pull off a successful mission without someone else calling the shots.

Needing something, anything else to think about right now, Rufus abandoned the mezzanine apartment and slid back down to ground level, turning a sharp right and striding into the workshop under the apartment. Grabbing one of the service manuals from the bench by the back wall and rolling out one of his toolboxes, he shucked his flight suit completely and climbed up onto the broad back of the only girl in his life. He'd noticed a few things that weren't quite right, minor things really but now seemed like a good time to fix them properly.

Opening up the access panels he'd need, he spread out his tools on the lovingly maintained skin of his bird and checked the manual, wanting to be sure of what he was doing. Snugging down his mining torch, he clicked it on and squirmed into the access panel. It wasn't always easy for him to keep the fighter well maintained, the Russians hadn't built these access panels with someone of his stature in mind. Yet when something had to be fixed, Rufus wouldn't let anyone else near his girl, he found his own way and got the job done to his standards.

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Finding the spare key right where Rufus said it would be, Mother unlocked the side door into the warehouse and put it back where it belonged before following Shane and Buck inside. Closing the door firmly and making sure it was locked, they looked around the warehouse/hanger, trying to spot the burly pilot. He'd promised to be here but now that they had arrived, he was nowhere to be seen.

'Rufus! Where are you?' Mother called, her voice ringing in the rafters. They all spun to look at a sharp banging sound echoing out from the Raven.

Approaching the fighter, Shane was first to spot the source of the noise. Head and chest buried inside an access panel under the Raven, all that could be seen of Rufus was his twisting hips and kicking legs as he tried to get deeper inside the fighter. Dodging his flailing left, Shane caught Rufus' swinging right leg and anchored it firmly, not trying to lead, just supporting Rufus until he finished what he was doing. Pushing against Shane, Rufus slipped deeper into the panel, tinkering with something deep in the guts of the Russian war bird.

After a few minutes of squirming and muffled cursing, Rufus started wriggling back out of his cramped spot, pushing Shane out of the way with a sharp kick. Twisting and squeezing back out, Rufus dropped from the access panel, catching his full weight on his arms before he hit the stained concrete.

'Whoa, I would never have guessed you'd fit in there Rufus.' Mother remarked, looking from the access panel to Rufus and back.

'You'd be surprised at some of the tiny panels I can squeeze into on the Raven.' Rufus shrugged, picking up a rag and wiping his hands. 'But she's my girl, don't trust anyone else to go playing around with her.'

'So, where's Knight?' Book asked, looking around again.

'That's what I needed your help with.' Rufus sighed, ducking out from under the fighter. 'Come on, we can talk about it upstairs.'

'What's with this place?' Shane asked, noting the parts and tools scattered all around the lower area.

'It's one of the boltholes we've got scattered around the place. It ain't glamorous or particularly luxurious but its home when there's time. It's more of a repair bay than a home but the apartment is comfortable enough.' Rufus explained, heading back up to the mezzanine apartment.

It was easier to cope with the empty space beside him now that the Marines were around. They weren't the closest of friends but Rufus had no one else to turn to in this situation. He could only hope that they would agree to help Aloysius in payback for all the times he'd been there to help them. Grabbing a round of beers from the kitchen, Rufus returned and dropped into his usual armchair, keeping his eyes on the floor.

'What's going on Rufus?' Shane asked, sipping his beer and trying to relax. 'Where's Aloysius?'

'Our last job went to hell, it was supposed to be easy. But IG88 got involved and things went south. They murdered the family of the man we were supposed to be catching and pinned the massacre on Captain Knight. He kept the police busy so I could make my escape. The last thing I heard from Aloysius was the local police driving him to the ground and arresting him.' Rufus sighed, slowly lifting his gaze. 'I don't know where he is, all I can say for sure is he's locked up in a Mexican prison.'

The silence was deafening, the Marines staring at him in disbelief and shock. Of all the situations they'd imagined Rufus calling them to help with, this was so far beyond their thoughts as to be almost impossible. Aloysius had always come through as a survivor, escaping capture by the skin of his teeth unless it served a purpose. But going off what Rufus had told them, this capture served no purpose what so ever. It wasn't even a logical distraction for Rufus to escape, local police enforcement wouldn't have a hope against the Black Raven.

'And you called us to help get him out?' Buck asked, waiting for Shane to make the call on the mission.

'I didn't know where else to turn to. It's not like we've got a heap of friends to pick from when times get tough.' Rufus shrugged, chugging down his beer.

'You realise you've put us in a bit of a situation?' Shane sighed, caught between loyalty to friends and loyalty to the Corps. 'As serving Marines, we can't be involved with a prison break, even if it is on Mexican soil.'

'So what am I supposed to do? There's no way I can do this on my own.' Rufus groaned, slumping back and staring at the ceiling. 'What the fuck do I do now?'

'We can't be seen near the actual prison break but we can find his location and create a plan of attack.' Shane offered, hoping that his little sidestep wouldn't get his unit into too much trouble.

'Thank you. I might have once been an officer but I don't know a thing about ground combat.' Rufus nodded, so glad to have the support of their friends.

'I'm not surprised. Back when I was a pilot, ground missions had no interest for me either. I had to learn after Bosnia.' Shane agreed, reaching for his phone. 'I'll be right back, I think I know who can help us locate Aloysius.'


	2. Chapter 2

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Salvation

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Three months of blood, sweat and tears but they finally had a plan to rescue Aloysius from the Mexican hell hole he was locked up inside. There had been quite a few screaming matches and everyone had frayed nerves but at last they had a working plan. Now it came down to Rufus' timing and accurate aim with the new contraption. Rigged up from the cable rappelling system inside the Black Raven, a solid steel box hung from six shackles up into three cables. The box was thoroughly lined with padding on the walls and a thick mattress on the bottom, as extra protection for Aloysius when he hopefully came flying into the rescue box. It was strong enough to take his weight, they'd done test flights with Mother and Buck diving into the box together and the contraption held up to the stress extremely well. Even the pulleys and gears for hauling the loaded box back into the bomb bay took the double load with ease.

Now it was time to put the plan into action. From here on out, Rufus was alone with the Black Raven, the rescue box and a desperate plan to snatch Aloysius from enemy territory. For this mission, the Raven had been given a new coat of paint but only on her upper surfaces. From above, she was done up with a sophisticated camouflage design to help her blend into the dusty ground below. Her lower surfaces were left black to ensure Aloysius could identify his rescuer and react to the arrival of the box.

Standing on the tarmac and ready to fly, Rufus felt a new confidence fill him. After all the time they'd spent working on this plan, going over possible problems and working out contingencies for any possibilities regarding the mission, it was time to go their separate ways. The Marines couldn't be anywhere near anything associated with Knight or Rufus while the raid was underway; they needed a solid alibi just in case the Mexicans tried to call foul.

'Well, I guess this is it. Christmas at Mother's or bust.' Rufus grinned, trying not to think about the risks to Aloysius if he screwed this up.

'There's already extra beers in the fridge for you come Christmas time.' Mother nodded, hiding her concerns about the mission.

'Just send one letter when you've got a chance.' Shane added, shaking one meaty paw. 'Good luck Rufus. If anyone can pull off this crazy plan, it's you.'

'We'll be waiting for news. Fly well Rufus.' Buck offered, still amazed that Rufus would even consider this plan. It went beyond risky but he was determined.

'Thank you all for your help; I couldn't have done this without you.' Rufus replied, turning and heading for his fighter. 'I'll give you 20 minutes before I start heading south; you'd better hurry back to base.'

'Copy that Rufus.' Shane nodded, retreating from the jet as Rufus strapped in and fired up the powerful engines. A deep thrumming filled the air before the strangely shaped jet rose into the sky and blasted away.

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Beaten but not broken, Aloysius returned to his cell and swung up onto his bunk, blatantly ignoring the thugs he was stuck with. The last three months had been tough, he'd spent more time in solitary than anyone else ever had in the same length of time. No real surprise, he wasn't exactly getting an easy ride around the prison. Not only because he was American, the only one in the prison, but the corrupt official he'd originally been in the area for, was apparently well liked in this prison.

'Yankee scum.' one of his cellmates spat.

'Well done Jose, you learned a new word.' Aloysius shot back, rolling and finding the most comfortable spot on the pitiful mattress.

'Jose, that's enough.' Top warned, shifting on his bunk. 'Let the American pig rest, I punish him again later.'

Jose was the talker of the group sharing his cell. Shorter than Shane and heavy set, he was used to people respecting him because of the gang tattoos and scars all over his body. The first time Aloysius had wound up in solitary, his first day in the prison, he'd gotten three days after a fight with Jose. All because he didn't show proper respect to the fat little shit.

Then there was Jesus, he was bigger and stronger but his street fighting skills weren't much use against Aloysius' military training. They'd locked horns a few times, earning Knight more time in solitary and sending Jesus to the prison hospital to get put back together. In the beginning he'd been more tattoos than scars, just three months constantly pushing against Aloysius had switched that around. Ever since their last brawl, Jesus hadn't tried it again with Knight, a broken jaw had taught him who was boss.

Lastly there was Top, a big, hulking brute. Aloysius was fairly sure his name wasn't really Top but he'd never heard anyone address the big gangster by any other name so Top he was. He towered over Aloysius when he cared to stand, which wasn't very often. Most of the time, he sent Jose and Jesus to do his biding and lounged around in the cell. Top was the only man in the prison that Aloysius feared; his reasons kept to his chest but there was a healthy level of respect between the two.

Staring at the cold cinderblock wall that had been his view since day 1, Aloysius sighed and turned his mind towards Rufus again. Thoughts of seeing his best friend again kept him going, giving him the strength to get up again after every knock down. He had one other ally in the prison, a pretty young doctor in the hospital. He'd been taken to see her after the guards too his glasses and he'd cried out in pain, trying to protect his eyes. She'd listened patiently to his explanation and retrieved his glasses from the guard. She'd laughed at his pitiful attempt to thank her in her native tongue and written something in his file that meant he got to keep his glasses on medical grounds. She even told him her name, Lolita. Aloysius carried that name as a shield, finding strength in her acceptance of him among so many Mexican prisoners.

Realising something important and accepting that finding out would cost him what little he had left to barter with, Aloysius rolled over and half slid off his bunk, hanging upside down so Top didn't have to strain to look at him.

'What is it American?' Top snarled, looking up from a smuggled porno. It was well thumbed and tattered from doing the rounds of the prison.

'I was just wondering if you knew the date. Been here three months, the days all blend together after a while.' Aloysius shrugged, getting a better grip on his bunk so he didn't fall. 'I don't have much to give you in return for the information.'

'After lights out, I'll get my payment from you.' Top replied, his tone of voice sending a shiver down Aloysius' spine. 'As for the date, it's the 15th of December.'

'Thank you Top.' Aloysius nodded, swinging back up onto his bunk and smiling softly. 'After lights out, I'll settle my debt.'

'Expecting a visitor, are you?' Top asked, poking at the mattress over his head.

'No, just wondering. I've got a buddy having a birthday in January; I'll have to see what I can get my hands on to send him.' Aloysius replied, wondering where Rufus was and why he hadn't at least written.

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Aching all over, Aloysius enjoyed his weekly session in the exercise yard, stretching out his muscles and burning off his frustrations at his treatment. He wanted out of this accursed prison but no one believe that he hadn't murdered that family. They all believed the reports from the local authorities. He was well and truly stuck; he'd need a miracle to get out of this hell. Pausing in his exercises, he looked up into the cloudless sky, thoughts again drifting to Rufus, somewhere else and hopefully safe.

'Merry Christmas buddy, wherever you might be now.' he uttered, hanging his head sadly. 'I just hope I can hold on until you get here.'

Suddenly a familiar shape emerged from the glare of the sun, swooping around the prison. Startled by the black fighter with the forward swept wings, the guards started trying to herd the prisoners inside even as the guards in the towers and on the walls raised their weapons and opened fire. Bomb bay doors snapping open, the fighter deployed a large metal box, cables snaking from the interior of the plane.

Thumping down in the exercise yard, the steel box was a temptation few prisoners could resist and all hell broke loose. Knowing that this was his only chance to escape, Aloysius put his best to the task, tackling one of the guards on the ground and steeling his rifle and pistol. Shoving his pistol into the waistband of his prison issue pants, he took off running, picking his targets carefully. Anyone that came near the box died quickly, the bodies piling up around the box.

Tossing the rifle aside when it ran dry, Aloysius yanked out the pistol and kept firing, weaving through the crowd and diving full stretch into the box. Only to find someone else was already sheltering inside.

'Fuck off American. This is my escape.' Top growled, slugging Aloysius in the face.

'I don't fuckin think so.' Aloysius snarled, levelling the pistol and squeezing the trigger. His first shot as perfect, driving through Top's abdomen and knocking him to the floor.

Spreading his knees to keep his balance as the crate started to rise again, Aloysius fired into Top twice more, one in the chest and one to the head before straining to tip the body out of the crate. It wasn't easy but he eventually managed to pitch the body out and stretch out in the crate, listening to dozes of bullets pinging off the sides. It felt so surreal to be here, sprawled on an old mattress as he was whisked away to safety. But for the first time since his arrest, he was comfortable and he knew he didn't have to keep looking over his shoulder anymore.

Hearing a change in the noise around him, Aloysius lifted his head as a clang rang out beneath him. He felt the crate being set down on a flat, solid surface and dared to peek over the edge, just making sure he was where he thought he was.

'Rufus?' he croaked, throat tight with unshed tears of relief and pure happiness.

'I've got you now, Boss.' Rufus confirmed, his voice bringing such comfort to Aloysius.

'Thank you.' Aloysius uttered, sinking back down onto the mattress and curling up comfortably. 'Thank you.'

'Sorry I took so long, wasn't easy to get this setup ready for action.' Rufus offered, glancing in a small mirror mounted at the side of the cockpit. 'You okay back there Boss?'

'I need a minute.' Aloysius confessed, shaken to the core but so very glad to be alive and free.

'Take your time, I'm heading for our safe haven in Texas.' Rufus soothed, wishing he could go back there and offer physical comfort but for now, he had to focus on getting them both out of danger. 'Hang on back there, this could get hairy.'

'Just get me outta here, please.' Aloysius choked, emotions warring as he tried to figure out what he felt. There was relief but also fear, gratefulness and exhaustion. He was safe and warm but also concerned and disgusted. It was so confusing and he wasn't sure which way to go.

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Touching down and taxiing into their rented hanger just outside Houston, Rufus abandoned his seat and hustled to check on Aloysius, guilt and relief warring in his gut. Crashing to his knees beside the crate, he looked inside and smiled. Lifting his head from the filthy mattress, Aloysius returned the smile and sat up, launching into Rufus' strong embrace. Holding him tight, Rufus was appalled by what he could feel. Underneath the baggy prison clothes, Aloysius was so skinny, his once strong and firm muscles much harder to feel now.

'Its okay, Boss. I've got you, you're safe now.' Rufus soothed, rubbing his back gently. 'Shhh, I won't let you go again.'

'I was so scared Rufus. I knew it'd be tough but that place was hell.' Aloysius choked, shattered by his ordeal. 'I took hell from everyone, they were determined to kill me slowly.'

'They won't get their hands on you again, I swear. You're safe now, I'll keep you close and make sure you never go back there.' Rufus promised, shocked to see Aloysius taken so low. 'I'll take care of you, now and forever. I'll always be right here.'

Drawing back slowly, Rufus eased to his feet and guided Aloysius out of the crate, never letting go lest Aloysius' shaken confidence take that as a sign of rejection.

'Here, get changed and we'll get you some real food.' he coaxed, handing Aloysius a bundle of civilian clothes. 'I'll be just outside, securing the hanger and doing a post mission check of the fighter.'

'I won't be long.' Aloysius nodded, unable to look Rufus in the eye.

'Take all the time you need. You've been through the wringer, I get it.' Rufus grinned, ruffling his unruly mop of hair. 'You need a haircut and soon.'

'You don't know the half of it buddy. One day I'll tell you, but not yet.' Aloysius sighed, leaning into the gentle contact. 'Didn't dare go to the prison barber, he'd likely stick a pair of scissors in my neck.'

'You don't gotta worry about that now, I'll keep you safe. For now, get changed and we'll grab something to eat. I've got a surprise for you.' Rufus chuckled, heading forward and climbing out of the fighter.

Shedding his stained prison garb, Aloysius refused to look at the marks on the cloth, reminders of what he'd endured for this chance. Pulling on the faded blue jeans and black t-shirt helped him to feel more human and less like the animal he'd been behind bars but he knew it was going to be a long road to recovery. He took some comfort in knowing Rufus was there to see him through this, it was still going to be hard but together they could achieve anything.

Turning to look at the sound of boots hitting concrete, Rufus grinned at the sight before him. Leaning against the landing gear of the Raven, waiting patiently for him, Aloysius already looked a little better in his worn blue jeans and a black turtleneck under an open leather jacket. As Aloysius turned to him, Rufus saw a flash of silver under one arm, the butt of one of Aloysius' preferred pistols.

'Come on, let's get you a decent feed and then we'll talk about the upcoming surprise.' Rufus called, doing up his jacket and waiting for Aloysius to come back to his side.

'You know I'm not a big fan of surprises.' Aloysius remarked, crossing the hanger and returning to his usual spot beside Rufus.

'I know but for Christmas, I reckon you'll like this surprise.' Rufus chuckled, guiding Aloysius outside for his first taste of freedom after three hard months.


	3. Chapter 3

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Christmas

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Rugged up against the icy wind whipping around them and loaded down with gifts for their friends, Aloysius and Rufus approached the merrily festooned doorway and shared a smile. Since his rescue, Aloysius had filled out a bit, he was still underweight and working to recover lost strength but there was no way he'd miss today. Stomping the snow off their boots, they entered the house and were immediately swept up into the festive atmosphere.

Slipping through the gathering, Rufus added their presents to the pile already under the tree and turned to find Aloysius still hanging around on the edge of the part, looking up at the decorations with a look of wonder on his face. Chuckling softly, Rufus made his way back through the group, pausing to grab them both a drink before sidling up beside Aloysius and pressing a beer into his hand.

'I told you that this was one surprise you'd really like.' he uttered, feeling the tension slowly bleeding out of Aloysius as they stood there.

'Yeah. Thanks for insisting I come.' Aloysius nodded, leaning into the strength and support of his best friend.

'Hey, look who made it to the party.' Mother called, a little less than perfectly steady on her feet as she approached the pair.

'Wouldn't miss this for the world, Mother.' Rufus replied, deftly sidestepping to get out from under the mistletoe hanging in the entryway.

'How are you holding up Aloysius?' Mother asked, one hand resting on Knight's shoulder firmly.

'I'm okay Mother. It hasn't been easy but I'm okay.' Aloysius shrugged, grunting as he was swept up in one of her powerful bear hugs.

'Easy now, Mother. He's not at his best just yet.' Rufus warned, left hand coming out to brace Aloysius.

'I thought he felt a little scrawny.' Mother remarked, releasing Aloysius and heading back into the gathering.

'I am not scrawny.' Aloysius retorted, looking up at Rufus and noticing the mistletoe. 'Nah, not drunk enough for that yet.'

'No, just a little underweight still.' Rufus agreed, glancing up for a moment. 'There will be plenty of time for that later. Come and say hello, I'm sure Shane will be glad to know you're okay.'

Gazing at the Christmas tree for a moment, Aloysius let his eyes drift up and broke out into laughter at the angel on the very top. Instead of a beautiful angel in a sparkling white dress, this angel was wearing camos and holding a rifle. Amid all the traditional decorations, the soldier angel just worked, reminding everyone that saw her that this was the home of a serving Marine.

'Merry Christmas guys.' Shane offered, appearing from the back of the house. 'And welcome home Aloysius.'

'Thank Shane.' Aloysius grinned, shaking his hand warmly. 'Rufus told me you were the one who came up with the rescue crate idea.'

'It was a team effort; we all put our minds to the challenge. I'm just glad to know it worked like planned.' Shane shrugged, wisely saying nothing about the new scars on display, particularly the long one on Aloysius' left cheek and off his jaw.

'There were a few moments when it didn't seem like it was going to work. Rufus almost hooked the wrong prisoner out of there.' Aloysius smirked, leaning against Rufus and trying to relax as the memories came unbidden to the front of his mind.

'Nah, if you hadn't gotten rid of that other guy, I would have dropped the floor of the box and dumped him out. There was a radio in the box; I would have given fair warning.' Rufus corrected, right arm wrapping around Aloysius to anchor him in reality.

'You always do buddy, you always do.' Aloysius nodded, sipping his beer and pushing the dark memories out of his mind again.

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Christmas lunch was all takeaways but it was better than most Christmas meals Aloysius and Rufus had shared. Usually they worked through Christmas, taking advantage of the holidays to catch out targets that were normally too well protected. For once, it was nice to slow down and enjoy the day, gather with good friends and have a few beers in total peace.

Presents were passed around and the group settled wherever was most comfortable for them. Aloysius and Rufus were surprised to find individual gifts from all their friends; they'd been expecting joint gifts. From Mother, Rufus got a nice pair of Colt Double Eagle pistols in .45 ACP and Aloysius received a new pair of 870 shotguns already cut down to size. He already ad another 5 pairs but he wasn't about to tell Mother that. In return, they gave Mother the biggest and meanest gun they could, a massive Russian made 6P49 Kord. Her reaction to the gift was most unexpected. She seemed almost tender with the weapon, a thoughtful little smile on her face as she looked at the Bounty Hunters in her living room.

'How did you know I wanted one of these?' she asked with a faraway look in her eyes.

'We didn't. It was the biggest, meanest weapon we could get our hands on that wasn't so heavy as to be unusable by a single person.' Rufus shrugged, not sure why Mother was so touched by the gift.

'On a previous mission, we met a Frenchman that was Mother's mirror in every way. He carried a Kord, I've never seen anything like the way he handled that weapon.' Shane explained, watching Mother as she stood and carried the massive weapon over to sit by the wall where it was out of the way.

Shane couldn't wipe the grin off his face as Aloysius and Rufus tore open the gifts from him, confusion and amusement crossing their faces at what they'd been given. But as Aloysius flipped through the book on famous prison breaks, his confusion faded, replaced with amusement when he found a handwritten chapter on his escape from that Mexican prison. Rufus spared a glance at the rough sketches describing the escape but most of his attention was on the new flight helmet in his hands. Shining black with all the necessary pieces attached, it wasn't exactly the latest model but it was still amazing. Picked out in silver on the back, a raven spread its wings around his head, bringing down good luck on him. Shane was shocked by the weight of his gift from the pair, then confused as he tore the paper away to find the biggest cookbook he'd ever seen. It had to be at least 1000 pages thick.

'Mother let slip that you're not much of a cook. I've got a copy of the same book and let me tell you, it's the only one you'll ever need. There are hundreds of meal ideas in there, every recipe is so easy and it explains proper technique.' Aloysius explained, ducking the cushion Shane threw his direction.

'Wasn't easy to find another copy, it's a popular book.' Rufus added, checking the fit of his new helmet.

'Thank you both.' Shane grinned, flipping through the book for a moment. 'It's probably time I learned to cook, never know when it might come in handy.'

Buck's gifts were small in comparison but no less appreciated. The gifts were near identical, black watches with steel bands. He'd worried that the images on the faces would cause trouble but both recipients just smiled, remembering when they had been part of something bigger than two. Done in fine enamel detailing, the old insignia both men had fought under, NightStalker and Delta proudly displayed for any who wanted to judge them. Looking at the gifts on his lap, Buck wasn't sure which to open first. The big squashy one or the small hard one. In the end, he opened the big one first, jaw dropping as he pulled out a soft blanket in camouflage patterns. Unfolding it, he got another surprise. Splashed across the bottom left corner was US ARMY in bright white lettering.

'My grandmother made it for me when I was accepted for Delta. After I was given the flick, I put it away and never looked at it again. Something made with as much love and care as this deserves a good home and I know you're one who can make the best use of it.' Aloysius explained, fiddling with his new watch nervously. 'I could always write her and see if she's got the time to make a proper Marine one if you don't like it.'

'No, it's perfect.' Buck replied, wrapping the thick blanket around his shoulders. 'It's so warm, thank you.'

Sitting again and picking up the smaller present, Buck pulled the paper free and held it up for all to see and enjoy. In a spherical jar, surrounded by sparkling silver glitter, the Black Raven flew over a snow covered village, the deadly black fighter ready for action despite the peace around them. Peering closer, Buck could just make out two familiar faces inside the cockpit, mostly hidden by the components of the plane and flight helmets but they were there.

'This is amazing Rufus. Did you make it?' Buck praised, shaking it again before handing it to Mother for a closer look.

'I did, I even made the model to go inside. I looked around for a 47 model but ended up having to make one from scratch.' Rufus nodded, flushing at the praise for his effort.

'This is incredible work Rufus, well done.' Mother grinned, handing the gift to Shane for a closer look.

Retrieving one last gift of theirs from under the tree, Aloysius held it carefully in both hands, not wanting to damage it now. Taking a knee, he set it on Ralph's lap and moved back, waiting to see what he thought of their gift. Left speechless by the fact he'd been thought of, Ralph removed the paper carefully, realising that this was something special by the way Aloysius handled it.

'Holy fuck.' Mother uttered, staring at the gift revealed but still hidden from everyone else.

'Never in my life.' Ralph breathed, drawing the paper away completely.

'Where did you find that?' Shane asked, attention diverted from the snow globe to the box on Ralph's lap. Four feet long with a solid timber base and Perspex sides, the box itself wasn't special but inside, in three neat rows, 30 little model Mack trucks were identified and painted up in a literal rainbow of colours and designs. Together, they represented the history of Mack trucks, going right back to some of the earliest and right down to the latest model to be offered to the public.

'Didn't find it, made it from scratch as well.' Rufus shrugged, tugging Aloysius back in against his side. 'Each one is hand painted, chromed where necessary and even the interiors are done to match.'

'You made all of this?' Mother asked, now staring at Rufus in disbelief.

'The internet has its uses.' Aloysius smirked, enjoying the looks of shock and wonder from all their friends.

Handing the gift to Mother for a moment, Ralph stood and cleared off the mantle a little, making space for his Mack collection. Handing the sealed box back, Mother smiled as he set it in place, still amazed by the level of detail on each tiny truck.

'Thank you for remembering.' Mother uttered, smiling as Ralph returned and curled up against her side.

'We can't take al the credit, Shane gave us a reminder about Ralph.' Rufus replied, lifting his arm so Aloysius could snuggle closer.

'Nothing between the two of you.' Shane remarked, flipping through the Marine history book Mother had given him.

'We did that earlier. Some things are better kept private.' Rufus grinned, reaching up to trail his fingers through Aloysius' hair softly.

~!~#~!#$#!~#~!~

Looking up from his conversation with Mother at the sound of a shocked yelp, Shane saw more than he ever wanted to see from their Bounty Hunting friends. Rufus had caught Aloysius under the mistletoe decorating the kitchen doorway. Forgetting about their company, Rufus had Aloysius bent over one strong arm as he planted one on his shorter friend. Hands locked around Rufus' neck, Aloysius gave in completely, pressing close and enjoying the moment.

'Well fuck me, I never expected that.' Mother uttered, picking up her jaw.

'They hid it well, I'll give them that.' Shane agreed, turning away from the pair.

'I didn't need to see that sort of thing.' Buck groaned, less than pleased with the display but he wasn't going to make a scene to get them to break it up.

Eventually breaking apart, Rufus kept one hand on Aloysius' back until his mind caught up again. Shaking off his stupor, Aloysius headed for the couch, tugging Rufus along behind him. Settling on the couch again, they snuggled up close, only now realising just how much attention they were getting.

'Yeah, probably should have mentioned that earlier.' Aloysius mused, perfectly content to curl in against Rufus' side.

'Take it as a sign we're comfortable here. We always take care that our competitors don't find out. Don't bear thinking about how they'd use the info.' Rufus agreed, idly toying with the heavy silver chair around his neck. 'Scary thought, ain't it?'

'I'm not even going there.' Aloysius replied, reaching up and unhooking a near identical chain from around his neck. 'You mentioned our gifts, well this was it.'

Pulling the chain out of his collar, Aloysius revealed a sparkling silver and gold ring. Lifting out his own neck chain, Rufus showed off a stunning black and silver ring. Tucking the chains in their pockets out of the way, Rufus slid off the couch and looked up at Aloysius, turning the ring over in his fingers.

'For this Christmas and every other until death parts us, I give you my heart.' Rufus uttered, the dark ring slipping onto Aloysius' finger so easily.

'Every hour of my life is yours, even after the clocks stop running.' Aloysius promised, briefly admiring the gold and silver band against Rufus' skin before drawing him back onto the couch and cuddling close.

Swapping looks, the rest of the group weren't exactly sure what to make of what they'd just witnessed. It almost sounded like wedding vows but surely Aloysius and Rufus wouldn't risk their relationship going down in public record for anyone to look up.

'With enough cash to back you, it's possible to make it official without anything getting written down.' Aloysius smirked, reading the question in Shane's gaze.

'So you two really are official?' Mother asked, shaking her head in disbelief. 'Didn't see that one coming.'

'Yup, we're official.' Rufus nodded, squeezing Aloysius gently. 'As of five days ago, anyway.'

'Well then, congratulations.' Buck offered, lifting his drink in a shaky salute.

'Thanks guys. You're the first people we've told. My folks would never accept this and Rufus' family even less. But we're happy and that's what really matters.' Aloysius grinned, burrowing in as close as was physically possible for them. 'It's not always going to be easy balancing our personal and business lives but we'll make it work.'

'Course we will, but we're hoping to take a few weeks before getting back to work.' Rufus nodded, hoisting Aloysius onto his lap and letting him curl in close. 'There are some issues we've got to work through first.'

'Don't even to there, not here.' Aloysius warned, head snapping up.

'That's all I'm saying on the matter, relax.' Rufus soothed, tucking Aloysius back in close.

Covering a yawn, Aloysius shifted and burrowed in closer, warm and dozy after so long being on edge. Saying nothing about it, Rufus just held him closer and let him doze, fully confident of his abilities to bundle Aloysius into their car and get him home safely.

'Looks like it's time you took him home.' Buck remarked, still not sure how he felt about this newly revealed relationship.

'I need a little bit longer to sober up before I consider driving.' Rufus shrugged, accepting the coffee Ralph was holding out to him. 'Thanks, that'll help chase the alcohol out.'

'He seems almost innocent when he's sleeping like that.' Mother commented, watching the way Aloysius cuddled up and held tight.

'Mexico changed him. He's not the guy you knew anymore.' Rufus sighed, so protective of Aloysius now.

'He knows we did our best, doesn't he?' Shane asked, worried Aloysius thought they'd just abandoned him.

'I told him how hard we worked to get him out. It's not that anymore, he's accepted that we got him out as fast as we could. It's more what he suffered in there. He still hasn't told me the full story.' Rufus explained, sipping his coffee and trying not to think about the bits he already knew.

~!~#~!#$#!~#~!~

It was after midnight by the time Rufus carried Aloysius into their rented apartment and gently deposited him on the bed. Mumbling something incoherent, Aloysius cracked one eye open and lifted his head, checking their surroundings. Smiling softly, Rufus sat beside him, lightly stroking his hair to settle him back to sleep. Returning the smile, Aloysius shouldered out of his jacket, kicked off his boots and crawled under the blankets, absolutely exhausted and fighting off a headache. Working off his own boots and hanging up their jackets, Rufus set two water bottles and some painkillers on the bedside table before crawling into bed.

'Merry Christmas Aloysius.'

'Merry Christmas Rufus.'


End file.
